Petersen Museum Will Honor Phil Hill

Written by Sports Car Market

Few motorsports icons command greater respect than Phil Hill, but his accomplishments did not stop with winning auto races. In addition to being the world’s first and only American-born Formula 1 champion and the first American to win the Le Mans 24 Hours, he was a student of automobile history, an accomplished mechanic, a classic car restorer, a skilled photographer, and a family man.

The Event

Join us for an evening of great stories during our Annual Tribute Night on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. featuring this year’s Honoree: Phil Hill. Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and a film program that will highlight Phil Hill’s Formula One racing career and his participation at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where he drove from 1953 through 1967, the world’s most exciting era of long distance competition.

Following the film, veteran automotive and motorsports TV commentator and Master of Ceremonies Bill Stephens, will interview drivers who accompanied Hill to Europe, and others who came after, to share their stories of friendship and racing with the famous Phil Hill. Luminaries such as Jesse Alexander, Bob Bondurant, Matt DeLorenzo, Steve Earle, John Fitch, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, John Lamm, Denise McCluggage, Sterling Moss, Augie Pabst, Sam Posey and Carroll Shelby are scheduled to attend.

In addition to the Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend exhibit, an expanded array of Phil Hill race cars, among them Bentley, Chaparral, Cobra, Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche will be on display for one night only in the Museum, some being racecars our honored guests drove to significant finishes.

Tickets are available on the web at www.petersen.org or by contacting the Petersen Automotive Museum at 323-964-6359 or 323-964-6325.

The Exhibit

Created in collaboration with Phil’s son Derek, Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend will take a revealing look into the life and work of this racing legend. The exhibit opens Saturday, September 3 2011 and will be on display through November 26, 2011. The exhibition will include photos, memorabilia, and trophies from his life as well as vehicles that he raced and vehicles that he restored. Vehicles include the Ferrari 250TR that he drove to victory at Le Mans in 1958, the 1966 Chaparral 2-E in which he won his last race, the 1931 Pierce-Arrow in which he learned to drive, the 1927 Packard in which he won Best of Show at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and several other four-wheeled highlights from Hill’s career. This exhibit is sponsored by The Auto Gallery.

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